Installation of small form factor fibers at user premises

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10935749-B2
Application number	US-201916366541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2019
Priority date	Nov 20, 2018
Publication date	Mar 2, 2021
Grant date	Mar 2, 2021

Abstract

A guide tool device for an optical fiber or cord includes a tool base that mounts on an adhesive syringe. A cord guide head has a flat leading edge, a key removably insertable into a keyway in the tool base, a guide channel for guiding a fiber toward the leading edge, and a tube for receiving an adhesive. An opening in the guide channel communicates adhesive from the tube into the channel, for applying the adhesive along a fiber while it is guided toward the leading edge on the guide head. A fitting is arranged to connect in sealing relationship with a distal end of the syringe, and a flexible tubing is connected between the fitting and the other end of the tube on the cord guide head. When urged toward the distal end of the syringe, the adhesive is communicated into the guide channel in the cord guide head.

First claim

We claim:

1. A guide tool device for an optical fiber or cord, comprising:
a tool base configured to mount on the circumference of an adhesive syringe, wherein the tool base has a keyway for receiving a key on another part of the guide tool device;
an inclined cord guide head having a flat leading edge, a key which is configured to be removably insertable in the keyway in the tool base, a guide channel for guiding a supplied fiber toward the leading edge of the guide head, and a tube for receiving an adhesive, wherein the guide channel has an opening for communicating adhesive received in the tube into the guide channel so that the adhesive is deposited along the supplied fiber as the fiber is guided toward the leading edge of the guide head;
a fitting constructed and arranged to connect in sealing relationship with a distal end of the adhesive syringe; and
a length of tubing arranged to connect at one end with the fitting and at the other end with the tube on the cord guide head, so that when an adhesive contained in the syringe is urged toward the distal end of the syringe, the adhesive flows from the syringe and into the guide channel in the cord guide head.

2. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , wherein the tool base has a catch, and the cord guide head includes a latch for engaging the catch on the tool base.

3. A guide tool device according to claim 2 , wherein the key and the latch on the cord guide head are configured so that after the key is inserted in the keyway and the latch engages the catch on the tool base, the cord guide head can be separated from the tool base to be replaced by a like cord guide head.

4. A guide tool device according to claim 1 , including a spool retention clip for mounting on the circumference of an outer tube of an adhesive dispensing gun system, wherein the clip has one or more retaining fingers for supporting a hub of a fiber supply spool.

5. A guide tool device according to claim 4 , including a supply spool containing a small form factor fiber, and the spool has a hub dimensioned to be supported on the retaining fingers of the retention clip.

6. A system for installing an optical fiber along a desired routing path at a user premises, comprising:
an extensible adhesive dispensing gun system including:
a dispensing gun;
an outer tube extending from an end of the gun;
an inner rod extending axially inside the outer tube, wherein the rod is arranged to advance in the axial direction by operation of the dispensing gun; and
an adhesive syringe mounted at a distal end of the outer tube and having a piston for dispensing an adhesive contained in the syringe from a distal end of the syringe when the rod inside the outer tube is advanced; and
a guide tool device according to claim 1 ;
wherein the guide tool device is mounted on a circumference of the adhesive syringe, and the fitting of the tool device is connected to the distal end of the syringe.

7. A system for installing an optical fiber according to claim 6 , including a spool retention clip for mounting on the circumference of the outer tube of the adhesive dispensing gun system, wherein the clip has one or more retaining fingers for supporting a hub of a fiber supply spool.

8. A system according to claim 7 , including a supply spool containing a fiber to be installed at the user premises, and the spool has a hub dimensioned to be supported on the retaining fingers of the retention clip.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the supply spool contains a small form factor fiber.

10. A system for installing a small form factor optical fiber along a desired routing path at a user premises, comprising:
an extensible adhesive dispensing gun system including:
a dispensing gun;
an outer tube extending from an end of the gun;
an inner rod extending axially inside the outer tube, wherein the rod is arranged to advance in the axial direction by operation of the dispensing gun;
an adhesive syringe mounted at a distal end of the outer tube and having a piston for dispensing an adhesive contained in the syringe from a distal end of the syringe when the rod inside the outer tube is advanced; and
a guide tool device having a leading edge for depositing an adhesive bead together with a small form factor optical fiber along a desired routing path at a user premises, wherein the guide tool device is constructed and arranged to mount on the distal end of the adhesive syringe so that the adhesive contained in the syringe is deposited by the device with a supplied small form factor fiber along the routing path as the adhesive is being dispensed from the syringe; and

a spool retention clip for mounting on the adhesive dispensing gun system, wherein the clip is constructed and arranged for supporting a supply spool containing a small form factor fiber.

11. A system according to claim 10 , including the supply spool containing the small form factor fiber, wherein the spool has a hub dimensioned and configured for rotation while supported on the spool retention clip.

12. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the diameter of the small form factor fiber contained on the supply spool ranges from about 400 microns to about 700 microns.

13. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the weight per unit length of the fiber is sufficiently light so that while the fiber is being installed with an uncured adhesive bead along an elevated routing path at a user premises, an uninstalled length of the fiber can hang freely to a floor at the premises without causing the installed fiber to peel away from the uncured bead.

14. A system according to claim 13 , wherein the uninstalled length of the fiber is approximately eight feet.

15. A system according to claim 11 , including a low profile module for storing the supply spool with any of the small form factor fiber remaining on the spool when the installation is finished.

16. A system according to claim 11 , wherein the diameter of the small form factor fiber contained on the supply spool is approximately 600 microns.

Assignees

• Ofs Fitel Llc

Inventors

• Bradley Kelvin B
• George John E
• Hendrickson Daniel
• White Willard C
• Vaughn Roger A

Classifications

• G02B6/47

  Installation in buildings · CPC title

• G02B6/475 Primary

  Mechanical aspects of installing cables in ducts or the like for buildings · CPC title

• B05C17/0052

  Accessories therefor · CPC title

• B05C17/00593

  Hand tools of the syringe type · CPC title

• G02B6/46 Primary

  Processes or apparatus adapted for installing {or repairing} optical fibres or optical cables (installation of cables containing electric conductors and optical fibres H02G) · CPC title